“I’m not deaf. What exactly do you want to say?”

Zhou Minwen silently removed her sunglasses, revealing her famously captivating eyes, which now seemed as deep and unfathomable as a still lake.

Faced with those eyes, Zhou Minzhu suddenly felt a wave of fear. Her lips trembled slightly before stammering, “I-I didn’t mean anything. I just don’t want you to ignore me.”

Her gaze inadvertently fell on the envelope on the coffee table. Her eyes lit up as she quickly picked it up and said, “Oh, right! Sister, this letter is from the insurance company. We should buy insurance for our trip, right? I’ve already signed mine; I just need your signature now.”

Insurance…

Zhou Minwen felt a sharp pain in her heart, like a needle piercing it.

She walked over, took the envelope, and opened it. Sure enough, it was a high-value life insurance policy, and the designated beneficiary was her sister. The corners of her lips lifted into a faint smile, tinged with mockery.

“If I sign this and something happens to me in Thailand, wouldn’t you get rich?”

What?!

Zhou Minzhu’s mind went blank, and when her eyes met Zhou Minwen’s icy gaze, she instinctively took a step back until she hit the edge of the sofa. Forcing a pale, awkward smile, she stammered, “Sister, you’re joking, right? You’re my only sister. I even wrote your name as my beneficiary. Who else would I write if not you?”

Exactly.

If it weren’t for Master Gu’s warning, Zhou Minwen would’ve signed without hesitation. After all, they had relied on each other for so many years. How could she ever have imagined that her own sister would want her dead?

“I think I’ll write A-Li’s name instead,” Zhou Minwen said, smiling faintly as she picked up a pen from the table, intending to change the beneficiary.

“No!” Zhou Minzhu’s body reacted faster than her brain, and she grabbed Zhou Minwen’s hand.

Zhou Minwen raised her eyes, her cold gaze piercing through Zhou Minzhu. “Why not? A-Li has been my close friend for years. She’s as much a sister to me as you are.”

“Because… because…” Zhou Minzhu’s face turned ashen. Confronted with Zhou Minwen’s interrogation, her lips moved, but her mind couldn’t produce an excuse.

“Minwen, I’ve packed all your clothes.”

Her manager appeared, pulling two large suitcases behind her.

Zhou Minwen frequently traveled for filming, so she didn’t own much at home besides clothes and jewelry.

Zhou Minzhu stared in shock at the suitcases. “Sister, where… where are you going? Are you taking so much for filming?”

For some reason, an ominous feeling crept into her heart.

Zhou Minwen shook off Zhou Minzhu’s hand and tore the insurance form into pieces. “Zhou Minzhu, drop the act. I already know what you’re up to. First, you convince me to go to Thailand with you, then you insist I buy insurance. You’re hoping I’ll die so you can cash in, right? Too bad—I’m not giving you that chance. A-Li, let’s go.”

She grabbed her suitcase and headed for the door with her manager.

Zhou Minzhu, caught off guard by Zhou Minwen’s accusations, broke out in a cold sweat. When she finally regained her composure and saw Zhou Minwen reaching for the door, she rushed forward and clung to her arm.

“Sister, how can you think that? You’re my only sister! Someone must’ve been badmouthing me behind my back!”

She shot a venomous glare at the manager.

The manager sneered. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t tell her how you sold her private photos to gossip magazines. You just have bad luck—she met a brilliant fortune-teller who exposed all your dirty deeds. That’s why Minwen’s done putting up with you.”

“Fortune-teller? What fortune-teller?!” Zhou Minzhu shook her head, raising her voice in protest.

“Sister, those charlatans can’t be trusted! You can’t abandon me just because of a few words from them. If Mom and Dad knew about this from the heavens, they’d be furious!”

At this, Zhou Minwen’s face darkened completely. She shoved Zhou Minzhu away.

Zhou Minzhu had never imagined her sister would treat her so coldly. Taken off guard, she fell to the floor. As tears of pain welled up, a new fear gripped her heart. Zhou Minwen had never been this ruthless before.

“Don’t bring up Mom and Dad. If they knew I raised you with so much effort, only for you to want me dead, they’d kill you themselves!” Zhou Minwen’s eyes glistened with tears of hatred and incomprehension as she glared at Zhou Minzhu.

Hearing the finality in Zhou Minwen’s tone, Zhou Minzhu snapped. “Well, it’s your fault! You forced me to this! You can make a lot of money in the entertainment industry, so why are you stopping me? You’re just jealous that I’m younger, prettier, and more capable than you!”

Zhou Minwen couldn’t believe her ears. Her sister, even after being exposed, still dared to justify herself. Her rage nearly made her faint.

Her manager quickly supported her. “Minwen, there’s no need to waste words. Let’s go.”

“Fine! If you want to leave, go ahead! I’ve decided I’m joining the entertainment industry to make my own money. From now on, we’ll each fend for ourselves!”

Zhou Minzhu wiped her tears with the back of her hand and glared at Zhou Minwen with spiteful determination.

Zhou Minwen laughed bitterly, closing her eyes briefly. “Fine. Let’s see how far you get.”

Saying no more, she walked out with her manager, suitcases in tow.

Although the apartment was rented under Zhou Minwen’s name, the rent was paid for the year. She figured she had already done her duty as an elder sister.

The next evening, Gu Xicao came home carrying a white-cut chicken she’d bought.

From the living room, Mrs. Lin and the others called her over excitedly.

“Xicao, come here quickly!”

Curious, Gu Xicao approached. “What’s going on, Mrs. Lin?”

“Look, that actress Zhou Minwen’s younger sister is spilling secrets about her dating Qian Lin!” Mrs. Lin said with great excitement.

On the TV, Zhou Minzhu, wearing a white dress and red-eyed, was being interviewed.

“I… I didn’t want to come forward, but I can’t stand to see my sister being deceived by Qian Lin. That man is useless! If my sister marries him, she’ll be supporting a freeloader.”

“Who’s Qian Lin?” a neighbor aunt asked, puzzled. “Why can’t I remember him?”

Mrs. Lin exclaimed, “Oh, how can you forget? Qian Lin was that little henchman of Xu Wenqiang in The Bund!“

“Which one? Xu Wenqiang had so many henchmen!” another aunt complained.

Someone chimed in, “No need to ask. He’s clearly not famous. Who’d have thought he could date Zhou Minwen? Honestly, Zhou Minwen could’ve chosen anyone, but she picked this nobody!”

“Her younger sister has a point. Zhou Minwen must’ve been duped by this freeloader,” Mrs. Lin and others agreed.

“Yeah, I heard she even abandoned her sister for this guy. Such a shame,” Mr. He sighed and shook his head.

Gu Xicao glanced at the television. Zhou Minzhu really had some tricks up her sleeve—using her sister’s fame as a stepping stone into the entertainment industry.

The host, Lin Mi, read from the cue card and asked Zhou Minzhu, “It’s said that Zhou Minwen distanced herself from you because of advice from a so-called fortune-teller. Is that true?”

A flash of malice crossed Zhou Minzhu’s eyes, but she quickly looked pitiful and tearfully nodded. “Yes, I heard that master’s surname is Gu and that she’s very famous. It’s all because of her that my sister kicked me out of the house.”

A fortune-teller?

Surname Gu?

Very famous?

The group eating snacks and watching TV together suddenly froze, realizing that the person in question might be someone they knew. Their heads turned in unison to Gu Xicao, swallowing nervously.

Mrs. Lin whispered, “Xicao, she’s not talking about you, is she?”

Gu Xicao’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Looks like she is.”

She had underestimated Zhou Minzhu. Who knew Zhou would use her as a stepping stone?

The group exchanged awkward glances.

Mr. He tactfully said, “Xicao, some money is better left unearned. Stirring up conflict between siblings… isn’t that a bit much?”

“You can’t say that,” Mrs. Lin quickly countered. “Xicao always speaks honestly. Maybe the younger sister did something to deserve it.”

Gu Xicao was about to explain when the host on TV said, “Well, we can’t rely on one side of the story. Let’s connect with our reporter at the filming set and see what Zhou Minwen has to say.”

The screen cut to Zhou Minzhu’s stunned and panicked expression.

It was clear she hadn’t expected the television station to interview Zhou Minwen and allow a live confrontation.

Without giving her time to react, the feed switched to the film set.

Zhou Minwen appeared on-screen, dressed in a traditional Tang-style dress with flowing sleeves. Her delicate yet commanding beauty shone even through the blurry footage.

“Miss Zhou,” the reporter began sharply, “your sister claims you abandoned her for your boyfriend Qian Lin and on the advice of a fortune-teller. Is that true?”

Even though Gu Xicao knew how aggressive reporters could be, she was still surprised by their bluntness.

Zhou Minwen’s eyes showed a trace of sadness. “Is that what she said?”

“Yes,” the reporter pressed. “Did you really abandon your sister?”

The nation’s audience was captivated by the drama unfolding on-screen.

“I didn’t abandon her,” Zhou Minwen replied firmly. “I cut ties with her.”

The response was direct and to the point. “She’s 20 years old. I paid for her schooling for ten years, gave her tens of thousands in pocket money, and even rented the apartment she’s living in now. As a sister, I’ve done my duty.”

Hearing this, Zhou Minzhu’s face went pale, and she instinctively clenched her fists.

“But why did you cut ties? Was it really because of Qian Lin and the fortune-teller’s advice, as your sister claims?” the reporter asked.

“I broke up with Qian Lin this morning. How could it be because of him?” Zhou Minwen shook her head. “As for the fortune-teller, yes, she was involved. But the master was incredibly accurate, and I’m grateful to her. Without her, I wouldn’t have learned that my sister wanted me dead simply because I stopped her from entering the entertainment industry.”

This bombshell left Zhou Minzhu utterly speechless on live TV, her face drained of all color.

The television audience was equally stunned.

“What?! The sister wanted her dead?”

“That’s insane! She looks so young—doesn’t seem like the type, though…”

Gu Xicao shook her head, picked up her dinner, and left quietly.

Zhou Minzhu’s biggest mistake was going on that interview. Zhou Minwen had spent years in the industry and wasn’t someone to be easily underestimated.

If Zhou Minzhu had behaved herself, Zhou Minwen might have let her off.

But trying to step on her sister to climb up? That was pure delusion. Zhou Minzhu would soon learn the hard way that the entertainment world was far from easy, especially for young, pretty girls who thought they could rise effortlessly.